Piper PA-24-250 N6489P

Summary

On 29 September 1993 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6489P, operated by Aire Austin Inc., was involved in an accident near Akron, Ohio, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 September 1993 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Akron, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

40.9796, -81.5302

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6489P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aire Austin Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fostoria → Harrisburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO93FA189

3 people died.

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT TO AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS NOT APPROPRIATE WITHOUT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO HYPOXIA AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEEDING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY, AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE OCCURRED. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER ABOUT A 1.5 MILE AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE RIGHT WING FAILED IN POSITIVE OVERLOAD ABOUT 9' INBOARD FROM THE WING TIP & STRUCK THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, WHICH SEPARATED. NO PRE-EXISTING DEFECT WAS NOTED. THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER WHEN HE REPORTED AN ALTITUDE OF 16,500' MSL & 'IN THE SOUP.' RADAR DATA FROM CENTER SHOWED THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ALTITUDE & HEADING EXCURSIONS DURING A 30 MINUTE PERIOD BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. JUST BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM RADAR, THE FLIGHT TRACK DEVIATED TO THE RIGHT. A WITNESS SAW THE PLANE DESCENDING MINUS A LARGE SECTION OF ONE WING AFTER HEARING A LOUD 'POP.' ACCORDING TO FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS, NO PERSON MAY OPERATE A CIVIL AIRCRAFT AT CABIN PRESSURE ALTITUDES ABOVE 14,000' MSL UNLESS THE REQUIRED MINIMUM FLIGHT CREW IS PROVIDED WITH & USES SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THERE WAS NO SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN ABOARD THE PLANE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.